Can opener



p i 3 1945 w. B. HASKINS 2,372,9 8

CAN OPENER Filed June 17, 1944 Patented Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER William B; Haskins, Los-Angeles, Calif.

ApplicationJune'l'l, 1944, SerialNo. 540,831

6 Claims.

Thi -invention relates to can openeraand the general. object of the invention is to provide an improved can opener constructed and" arranged to'iholdiitself' on a tin can if. released by the operat'or thereof, so that it will not drop off the can and injure the operator or other person, or be broken, or causedamage of any kind.

A more particular object is to provide a can opener of the. character stated including a weighted foot member, which engages the top of the' can': and the inner side of the annular bead om the upperedge" of. the can, while a. depending hook-shaped member on the forward end. of' the can opener extends downwardly over the outer side of said bead andisformed at its end with an' upstanding shoulder, which engages the lower outer edge. of 'saidbead, whereby the can. opener is effectively heldin its operative position on the can iffit is released by the operator thereof.

Afurther object is to provide a can opener of the character stated which may be manufactured atalow cost and which is very efficient in operat-ion.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter as this specification progresses.

The. invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing: which forms a part of this specification and. in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my can opener shown in itszop'erative position on a tin canin' the act of cutting the top of the can.

Fig.2 is a transverse vertical section of my can openertakenon line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3"isv a side View of my can opener with its holding member swung outwardly from its cutter unit to permit my canopener to be applied to a tin. can, and showing my can opener in the act of being. applied to the can for cutting the top of the can-and for engaging the annular bead on the upper. end-of. the can for holding my can opener inoperative position on the can.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary outer side view of the forward portion of. my can opener.

- Fig.5: is a plan view of my can opener and a fragment of. the top of atincan to which canmy caniopener is shown applied. as in Fig. 1.

6 is aside view of a modification of my can"; opener.

Fig.7 is a: plan view of Fig. 6.

Referring more particularly to the: drawing in which the same parts are designated by the same reference characters in all of the figures, my invention includes generally a cutter unit i andv a holding member 2 pivoted at its forward end. at its upper forward corner to the cutter unit by a pivot 3.. The cutter unit I is formed with a body portion 4, a head 5 on theforward end of said body portion, a cutter blade 6 dependingfrom the lower edge of'said body portion near the forward end of said body portion, and a handle I extendin rearwardly from the rear end of said body portion. The head 5" of the cutter unit is formed with adepending hookshapedmember'fiwhich extends rearwardly and is inclined upwardly from its lower end into a relatively broad shoulder 9" extending laterally from theinner side'of'said hook-shaped' member ii a: short distance'forwardly ofthe forward'cutti'ng edge 58' of the cutter blade G; The-head 5 isfQrm'ed at its inner side with a rear undercut beveled edge H, extending across the cutter unit 1, which edge is engaged by the forward transverse beveled edge i2of theholding member 2 for arresting said holding member in longitudinal alignment with the cutter unit i, when said holding member is swung downwardly on its pivot 3, and for holding said holding member Z flat against said cutter" unit I, so that said holding member cannot be twisted on its pivot S-inwardly away'from the cuttermcmber l. The

forward cutting'edge' H) of the cutter blade 6 is conceived" and the rear edge id of said blade converges downwardly toward sa d cutting edge to a point M at the lower end of saidcutting edge, for piercing the topof a tin can; so thatsaid"cut ting'edge lil' may out said top, While the upper forward corner of" the cutter blade 8 is turned inwardly; forming a heel 5 for emgaging and bending down thec'ut edge of the top of the can for widening the slit cut in the top of the can to enable the blade 6 to move forwardly freely through said slit in cutting the top of the can, in" the manner hereinafter more fully described.

The holding member 2 is formed with a rearwardiyextending handle l fi'conforming in shape to'the handle 1. of the cutter unit I. The holding member 2is formedalong its forward lower edge portion with a foot I? extending laterally inwardly from said holding member, for engaging the top of a tin c2111.. the forward. end of. said foot being oifset inwardly from said holding member and extending slightly beyond. the for.- Ward end of! said holding memberwith its forward end curved slightly upwardly for smooth engagement with the top of the tin can as the can opener is swung up and. down during its operation- Inthe. upper edges of the cutter unit I and. the holding member 2 are provided rearwardly-inclined. undercut notches l8 and IE respectively. forming, between their rear upper edges and the upper edges of the cutter unit I and the holding member 2, prongs 20 and 2i on said unit and said member, respectively, which notches and prongs register, respectively, with each other, when said cutter unit and said holding member are in alignment for application thereof to a beer bottle cap for removing said cap, whereby my can opener may be used as a bottle opener, if desired. A pin 22 projects laterally from the holding member 2 at the lower edge and at the lower end of the notch I9, into a notch 23 in the lower edge and at the lower end of the notch I8, which pin normally engages the lower end of said notch23 (Fig. 4) to limit the downward swinging movement of the holding member 2 on its pivot 3 in alignment with the cutter unit I, while said pin 22 engages the prong 20 (Fig. 3) on the cutter unit I to limit the outward swinging movement of the holding member 2 to retract the forward end of the foot I1 of said holding member away from the shoulder 9 of the cutter member I for application of my can opener to the upper end of a tin can to open said can, in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The holding member 2 is swung upwardly on its pivot 3 (Fig. 3) until its pin 22 engages the under side of the prong 20 on the cutter unit I,

is placed with the head 5 of the cutter unit I ad- Y J'acent the outside of the annular bead on the upper end of a tin can and the shoulder 9 of the cutter unit under the lower edge of said bead (Fig. 3), with the point I4 of the cutter blade 5 of said bead; the holding member 2 is then swung down on its pivot 3 until its pin 22 engages the lower end of the notch 23, and its forward beveled edge I2 engages the undercut beveled edge II of the cutter unit I (Figs. 4 and l), whereupon the holding member 2 is arrested in alignment with the cutter unit I, with the handle I6 of said holding member in registration with the handle I of the cutter unit I, while the forward end portion of the foot I! of the holding member 2, is brought close to the shoulder 9 of the cutter unit I, against the top of the can and against the inner side of the annular bead on the upper edge of the can, holding said bead between said end portion of said foot and said shoulder; the handles 1 and I6 of the cutter. unit I and the holding member 2 being grasped by the operator, my can opener is swung down by the operator, with the shoulder 9 engaging the lower outer edge of the bead of the can as a pivot and the forward end portion of the foot I1 engaging the top of the can, whereupon the point I4 of the cutter blade 6 pierces the top of the can and the forward cutting edge Ill of said blade cuts a slit in the top of the can a short length, until the heel I6 at the upper end of the blade edge I0 engages the top of the can (Figs. 1 and 5) and bends the cut edge of the top downwardly to open the slit cut by said blade so that said blade will pass freely through said slit to cut the top; my can opener is then swung upwardly and pushed forwardly by the operator, while grasping handles I and I6, to bring the lower end portion of the edge II] of the cutter blade against the forward end of the slit upon the top of the can adjacent the inner side cut in the top of the can by the preceding downward movement of said blade as aforesaid, and

the can is sufficiently cut, and at all times duringsaid operations, and at any time that my can opener might be released by the operator, the bead on the upper end of the can is held between the forward end portion of the foot I1 of the holding member 2, and the shoulder 9 of the cutter unit I, and my can opener is thus held upon the can and prevented from coming off the can. The face of the shoulder 9 is made sufilciently broad to prevent it from digging under the annular seam on the upper end of the can and thereby interfering with or preventing operation of my can opener, My can opener may be removed from the top of the can by swinging the holding member 2 upwardly to retract the forward end of the foot I1 from the shoulder 9 and thereby release said end of said foot member and said shoulder from the bead on the top of the can.

The modification of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 includes a cutter unit 25 and a movable holding member 26 pivoted in the forward portion of said cutter unit. Said cutter unit 25 is formed of two sheet metal side members 21 and 28, secured together side by side and of such shape as to provide an intermediate body portion 29, a head 39 at the forward end of said body portion and a handle 3| extending rearwardly from the rear end of said body portion. The side members 21 and 28 are bent outwardly slightly in opposite directions at 32 and 33, respectively, in the body portion 29, and extend forwardly from said bends at 32 and 33 in slightly spaced parallel relation, to their forward ends, providing a slot 34 therebetween extending from the forward part of said body portion 29 through the head 30, in which slot is turnably fitted the holding member 26, which is pivoted to said side members 21 and 28 by a pivot 35. Between the forward and upper spaced edges of the side members 21 and 28 is secured an arcuate spacing strip of metal 36 by rivets 31, which strip closes the slot 34 at said edges of said sidemembers and the corresponding edges of the head 30, and said rivets and said strip secure the forward ends of the side member 21 and -28 together. The rear portion of the side members 21 and 28 are secured together byrivets 38 and 39, which rivets also extend through and secure grip members 40 and III to the outer sides of said side members, respectively, to form the handle 3| of the can opener. The side member 21 is formed at its lower edge and near its forward end with a depending cutter blade 42, the forward cutting edge 43 of which being located below and at the rear of the head 30, and said blade being turned inwardly and laterally at the upper end of said cutting edge in the form of a foot 44 for engaging and bending down the cut edge of the top of a 'tin can and for engaging the upper surface of said top and the inner side of the annular bead on the upper end of a tin can, in the manner and for the purpose hereinafter more fully described. The rear edge 45 of the blade 42 converges downwardly toward the cutting edge 43 of said blade to a point 46 at the lower end of the cutting edge for piercing the top of the can.

The holding member 26 is formed with a forwardly and downwardly extending hook-shaped arm 41, with an upstanding shoulder 48 on the lower end of said arm, forwardlyof the foot 44, and said holding member is formed with an up wardly and rearwardly-extending actuating handle 49. The arm 41 of said holding member extends downwardly through the slot 34 below the lower edge of the head 30, while the handle 49 of said holding member extends upwardly through said slot to the rear end of the strip 36 and above the upper edge of the body portion 29 of the cutter unit 25.

In the operation of this form of my invention the handle 49 of the holding member 26 is first swung rearwardly and downwardly on its pivot 35 and the hook-shaped arm 4! and its shoulder 48 are thereby swung forwardly and upwardly, whereupon said shoulder is spaced further forwardly away from the foot 44; the handle 3i of the cutter unit 25 being grasped by the hand of the operator, the head 30 of the holding member 25 is then placed adjacent the outer side of the annular bead on the upper end of a tin can, with the shoulder 48 of said holding member against the lower outer edge of said bead, and the cutter unit 25 is then swung down from the point of engagement of the shoulder 48 with the lower edge of said bead, as a pivot, until the point 46 of the cutter blade 42 is brought against the top of the can and adjacent the inner side of the bead of said can; the cutter unit 25 is then swung downwardly further by the operator as aforesaid, so that the point 46 of the cutter blade 42 pierces the top of the can and the cutting edge 43 of said blade cuts a slit in said top a short distance adjacent the inner side of the bead of the can, until the under side of the foot 44 at the upper end of said blade edge 43 engages the top of the can and bends the cut edge of said top downwardly, widening the slit cut in said top, and said foot 44 is brought close to the shoulder 48, whereupon said foot on the cutter unit 25 and the shoulder 48 on the holding member 26 hold onto the bead on the upper end of the can, therebetween, and hold the can opener on the can; the cutter'unit 25 is then swung upwardly from the point of engagement of the shoulder 48 with the lower edge of the bead of the can as a pivot while said cutter unit is pushed forwardly by the operator and the blade 42 moves forwardly in the slit cut in the top of the can by said blade until the lower end portion of the edge 43 of the blade 42 is brought against the forward end of said slit cut in the top of the can; the cutter unit 25 is then again swung downwardly as aforesaid to cut the slit in the top of the can an additional short distance forwardly; and the above described down and up movements of the cutter unit are repeated until the top of the can is cut sufficiently around the can adjacent the inner side of the annular bead on the upper end of the can, and each time the cutter unit 25 is swung down the shoulder 48 and the foot 44 hold said bead therebetween, and thereby hold the can opener on the can and prevent the can opener, if released by the operator, from falling off thecan.

I claim: I

1. A can opener comprising a cutter unit, a holding member pivoted at its forward end to said cutter unit, said cutter unit being formed with a body portion, a head on the forward end of said body portion, a shoulder on said head for engaging the lower outer edge of the annular bead of a tin can, a blade depending from said body portion at the rear of said shoulder, and a handle extending rearwardly from said body portion, and said holding member being formed with a foot extending near said shoulder on said cutter unit for engaging the top of the can and the inner side of said bead on said can for holding said bead between said shoulder and said foot, when said holding member is in alignment with said cutter unit, and a rearwardly extending handle constructed and arranged to register with the handle of said cutter unit, when said.

holding member is in alignment with said cutter unit.

2. A, can opener as claimed in claim 1 including means for preventing lateral twisting of said holding member from its pivot, with relation to said cutter unit, when said holdin member is in alignment with said cutter unit.

3. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 including an undercut edge on the rear of the head of the cutter unit, and the forward edge of the holding member being shaped to engage said undercut edge to prevent twisting of said holdin member from its pivot with relation to said cutter unit.

4. A can opener as claimed in claim 1 including a pin on said holding member for engaging a part of said cutter unit to limit the inwardswinging movement of said holding member in alignment with said cutter unit, and for engaging another part of said cutter unit to limit the outward swinging movement of said holding member.

5. A can opener comprising a cutter unit formed with a shoulder, for engaging the lower outer edge of the head on the upper edge of a tin can, and formed with a blade for cutting the top of the can, and a holding member mounted on said cutter unit and formed with a foot for engaging the inner side of said bead while said shoulder engages said lower outer edge of said bead for holding the can opener on the can.

6. A can opener comprising a cutter unit formed with a blade for cutting the top of a tin can and with a foot for engaging the inner side of the bead on the upper end of the can when said blade is in its lower cutting position, and a holding member mounted on said cutter unit for engaging the lower outer edge of said bead, while said foot engages the inner side of said head, for holding the can opener on the can.

WILLIAM B. HASKINS. 

